Favorite Schools

Favorite Teams

Greater New Orleans

Change Region

comments

On same-sex marriage, marijuana and other social issues, study says Louisianans are more conservative

Defend Louisiana pro gun rally on the Capitol steps

Waving a Susan B. Anthony American Flag, Shawn Wilson and his sons attend a Defend Louisiana pro gun rally on the steps of the Louisiana State Capital in Baton Rouge on Monday. A new survey finds that Louisianans are more conservative on social issues than the average nationwide.
(David Grunfeld, Nola.com |The Times-Picayune)

The research lab's annual "Louisiana Survey" looks at a variety of issues and is being released in separate parts. One recent section of the survey said a majority of Louisiana residents feel the state is moving in the "wrong direction."

The research lab surveyed 930 people by landline and cell phone. The margin of error is 3.6 percentage points.

The
new data released Tuesday shows that Louisiana residents' position on same-sex marriage is nearly the opposite of the country's opinion overall. According to the report, 56 percent of Louisiana residents
oppose same-sex marriage and 39 percent think it should be legal. Nationally, 53 percent of adults believe same-sex marriage should be
legal, according to a CBS News poll in March.

New Orleans residents and young people were the most supportive of same-sex marriage. About 58 percent of New Orleans residents said that it should be legal, along with 54 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 34.

LSU's report also looked at Louisianans' opinion on legalizing marijuana for personal use, and found that 56 percent were opposed. Legalization has less support here than in the country overall: Only 50 percent were opposed in a recent USA Today/Gallup poll, the report said.

Louisiana residents also oppose a ban on assault weapons, in contrast with national averages, the survey said. About 57 percent of Louisiana residents would oppose an assault weapons ban and 41 percent would support it, according to the survey. Americans overall, however, are more supportive of banning assault weapons. A Fox News poll conducted in March found that 51 percent of U.S. residents would support a ban, the LSU report said.

Gun issues are expected to be a key topic in the state legislative session that began this week. Gun control opponents, including more than 30 state lawmakers, rallied on the steps of the state capitol building in Baton Rouge Monday. They're supporting a package of bills that would make guns cheaper and easier to buy, carry and sell in Louisiana.